Suburban bowling coach charged with child porn

A longtime suburban bowling coach was arrested in western Illinois over the weekend on child pornography charges and has since been suspended from coaching, authorities say.

Robert L. Lauesen, 46, of Lombard, was arrested on Aug. 9 in Lee County on three counts of child pornography, authorities said.

Details of his arrest were unavailable late Wednesday, but he was being held at the Lee County Jail on $250,000 bond.

Lauesen on Aug. 1 was selected to serve a three-year term as president of the Elgin-based Suburban Windy City USBC.

Jason Overstreet, spokesman for the United States Bowling Congress in Arlington, Texas, said Lauesen has been removed from the president's post and could face a lifetime ban if convicted.

"He has been removed from any USBC positions pending the outcome of the investigation," Overstreet said. "He will not have any involvement in any leadership role or any role that he could have contact with children."

The Suburban Windy City association includes bowlers from all over the Chicago suburbs, including those from Lake Park High School in Roselle.

"Our youth bowlers are also very impressive," Lauesen wrote on the association's Web site. "Within our association we had the majority of the Lake Park High School boys bowling team, which won the Illinois State High School Association boys bowling championship."

A woman who answered the phone at the Suburban Windy City office said Lauesen was a coach of all age levels for some 30 years.

She declined further comment, but acknowledged that Lauesen's arrest had upset many association members.

Officials at Lake Park High School said Lauesen did not coach or volunteer at the high school.

The charges against Lauesen carry four to 15 years upon conviction and he is due in court on Aug. 26.